Potato cutter



Sept. 29, 1931.

L. F. ALTFATHER POTATO CUTTER Filed June 10, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet l ww N Inventor A liomey Sept. 29, 1931.

| F. ALTFATH ER POTATO CUTTER Filed June 10, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 L .ff l ifdf/u r A florney Sept. 29, 1931. ALTFATHER 1,824,798

POTATO CUTTER Filed June 10, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Z 7T Alifafhew www A Ilorney Sept. 29, 1931. l ALTFATHER 1,824,798

POTATO CUTTER Filed June 10, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 A ltomey Sept. 29, 1931. L. ALTFATHER 1,824,798

POTATO CUTTER Filed June 10, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 a Q s o Q i m MQ: Q g a h :I I, a K m "I & fi i 3i B a t N Inventor L.7 ,'/7/ffaZ/7er A llomey Fatented Sept. 29, 1931 :ZUNITLEDTSTATEFS PATENT OFFICE LEWIS F, ALTFATEIER, 0F BERLIN, rENNsYLvANIA, AssI on or ONE-THIRD tro'JoHN CALVIN ALTFATHER' ND ONE-THIRD To RALPH MAC TYAYLORQBOTH OFCBERLIN,

PENNSYLVANIA' p applicationfiled June 10,

This present invention relates toa potato cutter and has for its prime objectto provide a machine of this nature which may be power a lower blocks,

driven in order to obtain speed in the cutting of spud potatoes and the like.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a machine of this nature having a pluralityof cutting frames mounted in-a rotary table in combination with a follower block for forcing potatoes through the frames, and means for simultaneously operating the follower block and rotating the table in proper coordination so that the block will force a potato through a cutting frame as it arrives thereunder.

A still'further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a potato cutting machine of this nature which is exceedingly simple in itsconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, compact and convenient in its arrangement of parts, thoroughly efiicient and reliable in use and operation, and otherwise well adapt-' ed to the purpose for which it is designed.

' lVith the above and numerousother obj ects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides incertain novel features of construction,-'and in the combination and arrangement-of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings F 'gure 1 1s a top plan view of a-machine embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough,

, Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the cut-' tin frames with the knives therein, 1

Figure 4 is a transverse section" therethrough taken substantially on the line of Figure 3, p

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the machine,

Figure 6'is a perspective View of the connecting rod, 1' I a Figure 7 is a perspective view of the crank shaft, p l 1 Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bell crank lever.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the longitudinal knives,

CUTTER of the-machine,

Figure '11 is a perspective viewof the fol- Figure 12 is another perspective view thereof showing the arms attached thereto.

Figure 13i's a top plan view of the machine showing the table removed,

Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of one of the-cross knives, I

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the elonverse' section taken substantially on the line 18-18 of Figure 10, and

Figure 19 is a detail sectional view through the table. 1

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevation I Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes an elongated-table mounted on suitable supporting legs 6 and having one end 5 in the form of a seat. A cylinder? rises-from the platform ;5 to receive in its upper end a ring 8 on the thereof to receive the. central portions of the transverse knives which have V-shaped notches 19 in their central portions merging into slots 20; On the ends of: the longitudiknife 17 in each. frame. The longitudinal knife has slots 18 rising from the bottom edge nal knife 17 there are ears 21 which are sea formed with notches 22 to rest on thesides 0f the frame.

A bolt 24 extends through an opening in the lower plate 11 and through the platform 5 to hold the table against displacement but permitting it to rotate on the cylinder 7. Rests 25 and 26 rise from the platform 5 under the table T adjacent its periphery. A dog 27 is=pivotally mounted as at-28=toengage with recesses 29 in the bottom of the .table .for holding it .in stationary ,position .as will 'befmorle clearly explained hereinafter. A spring 30 holds the tion. The numeral 31 denotes a follower block having slots 32 in the bottom face thereof to accommodate the knives 1 6 and 17. Arms 33 .are'zfixed :to the .sides of -;the block and .are

\ an intermediately disposed .c rankiportion.4

with "which the lower .end; of the connecting rod 37 is engaged.

. 0n oneend ofthe crank shaft.-3 9:is acrank .arm 43 with which is .pivotallyengagedas at 44 an L-shaped catch 45, the terminal of the -llonger.arm.of which hasa catch head 46 for .engagingztherecesses 29. .Abell crank lever 47 is pivotally mountedas at 48;in the rest 26 and a spring 49'is engaged with tllGslOWGIBIld ofrthis bell crankto hold the upperendiwhich has an offset extension 50in engagement with ithe catch .to .holdit in .engagingiposition. A guide is provided for the catch45 as is particularly well illustrated in Eigure i17iand -.-eomprises.. an .inner member rising from gthe platform :and braced as .at .51 and van outer member 52 .which vis hinge'dly mounted .as.at.53 withthe base portion. 5,4.of themem- .ber 50-.andis urged towardthemember 50 by meansof a bolt: 55 havingaspring .56 associated therewith.

A. platform is ihingedly imounted .as :at

v 61 onaoneofgtheendsupporting(legs and is .adjustably -mounted in desired position :by

.meansiofarod 62 by means of adjustingnut .63. @This rod 62is engagedWith the. adjacent end of the platform, 5. vAmotor 6,4Zis-mount- -.ed ontheplat-formi60 andhasapulley!650m .sthe armature shaftthereof Apulley 66 is on.the crank shaft39andanendless beltor the like 67;;istrained over these pulleys 'and x66. Obviouslyby adjusting the plat-form160 "belt67.

pawl in engaging posi-' ly to force the potatoes through the knives of the frame thereunder. The operator, of course, places the potatoes on the frames as they come to rest in front of him and so places the potatoes on the knives of the frame depending upon the numberof pieceshe desires t0 cut the .potato into as will be quite .apparent. It will be noted that when the cran arm 431 s ac u ting the ca c 4.5 to th "left, referring.pa ticular yto F gur 1 Said catch engages the dog to release it from its .recessand this dog will be released in time to engage the next oncoming recess because at .thistimetheprankarm will be swinging in the lower arc of its movement.

ation, utility and advantages of this invention rn w .q flppa en toithose killed in this art without .a more detailed description thereof. I

The present embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail merely for [the purposes ,o f exemplification sinceinactual practice it attainsthe features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the Statcinentof the inventionandthe above description.

It will be apparent thatchanges inthe dejtailsiof construction, and in thecombination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted t o ithout departing frornthespirit or scope of the invention .as .hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of ,its advantages.

Havingthus describedmy invention, what :Lclaim as newis: V I p .1. ;In combination, atahle, means ,for roitatably mounting the -table, .a plurality of cutting frames in the table, a follower block foraforcing; a potato through; the frames, arms on the blocln means for swingably mounting ithe arms, means ,for oscillating the arms to swing the block intoiengagement withone of the frames which ;is .disposed thereunder, meansaforimparting.in mit n ota y- .tionzto ithe ,frame, said ,last .mentioned means comprising a shaft having a crank arm'thereon, a catch pivotally engagedavith the crank .arm and having a cat-ch head engageable with recesses in-t e ott Of the-ta le, :means :forholdingthe catch into engagement with the table, said lastmentionedgmeans comprising ;a crankshaft having ,a spring engaged therewithto urge one .end .of the crank shaft in engagernent withthe catch to hold it iniengagementwith the table.

2. In combination, a table, means .for ro- ,tatably .mounting'ft-hej'table,.a plurality of cutting frames in thetable, a followenblock for forcing a potato through theyframes, arms on;the ;block, means for swingably monnting' a the arms, means for oscillating the armsto swing the blockginto.engagement with,one of the frames which is disposed thereunder, means for;impartingintermittent rotany motion to the frame, said lasamentioned means .lt :is thought that t e 0n t-ruction, Op

comprising a shaft having a crank armtherespring means normally holding the pawl in engagement with the recesses, said pawl being in the pathnof movement of the catch so as to be released when the catch is in engagement with a recess and is in the act of rotating the table.

3. In combination, a table, means for rotatably mounting the table, a plurality of cutting frames in the table, a follower block for forcing a potato through the frames, arms on the block, means for swingably mounting the arms, means for oscillating the arms to swing the block into engagement with one of the frames which is disposed thereunder, means for imparting intermittent rotary m0- fion to the frame, said last mentioned means comprising a shaft having a crank arm thereon, a catch pivotally engaged with the crank arm and having a catch head engageable with recesses in the bottom of the table, means for holding the catch into engagement with the table, said last mentioned means comprising a crank shaft having a spring engaged therewith to urge one end of the crank shaft in engagement with the catch to hold it in engagement with the table, a stop pawl engageable with the recesses,

spring means normally holding the pawl,

1n engagement with the recesses, said pawl being in the path of movementof the catch so as to be released when the catch is in engagement with a recess and is in the act of rotating the table, a connecting rod engaged with a crank on the shaft and means for engaging the crankshaft with the armsto oscillate said arms. 7 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' LEWIS F. ALTFATHER. 

